Elf's Lament

This post brought to you by Soccer Mom in Denial - posting every Monday on a different musical memory.

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Despite my best intentions, I did not watch all the claymation I could - in fact, I saw none! Somehow I missed out this year. So frustrating. It's not that I love Christmas specials (believe me, I don't) - but there's just something about those felt puppets and the jerky way they walk. I used to watch Davy & Goliath every Sunday just for that reason - who knew what the lesson was - I loved that dog and the fake grass in their backyard.

The other night I came home, yet again disappointed to miss my favorites - but lucky enough to catch a movie with a real live elf - Elf in fact. Despite being a hokey Christmas movie it's got some pretty hilarious scenes.

Poor Buddy.

In the spirit of poor big Buddy and also the anti-labor union sentiment in the White House and among Republican members of Congress (grrrr...) I bring you Elf's Lament.

Happy Holidays!

Home Alone...

This post brought to you by Soccer Mom in Denial - posting every Monday on a different musical memory.

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My husband will be taking off this week for a bit of early vacation - I'll be joining him next week. Yesterday someone asked me what I'd do with all this time alone. When I'm gone he plays all the Mahler and Wagner he can. I tend in another direction. Leave my shoes lying around, purses and handbags throughout the apartment... and watching bad television. And since it's that time of year, I see a lot of claymation in my future!

I'm over

baked

For more Singular Saturdays go visit Jenn in Holland.

Rockin' Holiday Tunes

This post brought to you by Soccer Mom in Denial - posting every Monday on a different musical memory.

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On Saturday I wrote that I was working on a holiday music mix. We're having a party next weekend and I wanted some good tunes. Nothing too slow or we'd all fall asleep. Stuff that would get people moving - and some funny lyrics are always nice. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Charlie Brown Christmas CD, but it just isn't peppy enough for this occasion.

Here's a portion of the list - ones you don't hear too often (or often enough):

The Chanukah Song (1&2) - Adam Sandler
Back Door Santa - B.B. King and John Popper
Elf's Lament - Barenaked Ladies (with Michael Buble)
Swingin' Dreidel - Kenny Ellis
Christmas in America - Melissa Etheridge
It's Christmas Time - Melissa Etheridge
Christmas All Over Again - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
Christmas Is - Run DMC
Santa Baby - Joseph Simmons, Keith Murray, Mase, Onyx, P. Diddy, Salt-N-Pepa, Snoop Dogg & The Christmas All Stars
This Christmas (Hang all the mistletoe) - Macy Gray
Little Drummer/Hot Hot Hot - Wyclef Jean
Merry Christmas Baby - Stevie Wonder and Wyclef Jean
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Barenaked Ladies (with Sarah McLachlan)

and Christmas in Hollis - Run DMC

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Putting together a holiday music...

mix

For more Singular Saturdays go visit Jenn in Holland.

Oh, the shoes

My sister wrote a really great post about breaking free from consumerism - the kind that leads to the needless death of a Wal-Mart worker.

You should read the whole posting - it's all very good info and thought.

Let me just highlight her ideas for detoxing:

• Read this excellent, non-preachy guide (with cartoons!) to reducing your consumerism: Affluenza
• Join (or at least explore) the simplicity movement. Read more here: Voluntary simplicity movement re-emerges and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_living
• Get a fresh perspective: spend a night volunteering at a homeless shelter instead of lining up for deals. This will give you a whole new appreciation for the word need.
• Make a list of the things you really want and then put off buying them for 3, 6 or 12 months (or ever), and I'm talking about a flat screen TV or that third pair of black heels, not health insurance. It may seem painful at first, but you may see over time that you don't miss the items.
• Don't fill your leisure time with consumerism. Pick something you love to do - cycling, writing, photography - and do that instead. Yes, you may have to make some initial investments (don't use it as an excuse to gear up), but in the long run you'll have a much healthier and less expensive hobby than going to the mall.

Oooh, putting off the shoe shopping is going to be tough...

I *heart* Connie Schultz

On a recent trip I managed to polish off Connie Schultz's book "Life Happens and Other Unavoidable Truths" and was so sad to put it down.

A couple of years ago I read "And His Lovely Wife..." which I guess was out of order. No matter. Absolutely worth reading.

As the lovely wife - and truly lovely, no matter what writers say about her hair - of the esteemed Sherrod Brown, Senator for Ohio - she is all that and more.

Her take on everyday life and the struggles and triumphs of the working class make you want to move to Ohio and do whatever you can to improve people's lives.

Did I mention that through a Pulitzer-prize winning series she wrote on a wrongly - VERY wrongly - convicted man that he was set free! The column on how he forgave the real criminal just made me cry.

At the same time she had me bawling about the released man I was bawling about her cat.

and Sherrod is just my hero. Cute to boot. Loves girl scout cookies.

I'm hoping to meet them some day. Hoping that when I do I don't make a total fool of myself blubbering about how much I would love to be their best friend. Probably think I was a psycho.


I heart Connie. and Sherrod.

Living with HIV

This post brought to you by Soccer Mom in Denial - posting every Monday on a different musical memory.

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I am embarrassed to say that I had totally forgotten it was World AIDS Day. Truth be told, I didn't TOTALLY forget - it just took me a few hours. Considering what I do for a living you'd think I would have had it foremost in my brain. Cut me some slack, every day is world AIDS day for me!

The US Government's theme this year (because for whatever reason we can't seem to agree with UNAIDS...) is "Celebrate Life". I'm not a big fan of the motto (too close to pro-life for me) - but the underlying theme is living positively. I can get behind that.

It was not too long ago that we didn't talk about people living with HIV. And now we can.

Congratulations, Andy Bell - you are LIVING.